Thermal imaging uses cameras that can detect heat and produce images based on an amount of heat. Additionally, the images can be used to qualitatively determine temperatures and temperature differences. For example, a black and white thermal image will display hotter objects with brighter whites as compared to darker grays for cooler objects. A color thermal image may use a rainbow of colors to show temperature, where hotter objects are shown in colors closer to or at the red end of the spectrum and cooler objects are shown in colors closer to or at the violet end of the spectrum.
Thermal imaging data from high resolution sensors is often processed using automatic gain control to convert the high resolution data down to 8 bit data. The conversion often results in temperature data being modified such that resolution is lost. For example, in a post processed image, it may be difficult to distinguish between wildlife and wildfires as they will both appear on the 8 bit, post processed gray scale image having the same or similar gray tone.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.